Homecoming Surprise
by JumbledIdeas
Summary: What if Booth and Brennan's didn't go exactly the way we saw? The night before Brennan gets on that plane went a little differently. This is how I see that night effecting their reunion. BeginningEnd spoilers. Considering I changed an episode ending..AU


**AN: As always, I own nothing.**

**Also, I'm not good with the intense, smutty scenes which is why I'm starting from here.**

As she said her goodbyes to her friends, Brennan couldn't help but wish Booth was among them. They had said their goodbyes earlier that morning before Booth needed to leave to report on base. Even though she knew he won't be able to make it she couldn't help looking around the crowded airport for him.

But he managed to surprise her. She spotted him standing across the large room dressed in his ACUs, looking in her direction.

Their friends watched on in something close to awe when she quickly moved to approach him.

"Sorry," Booth apologized when she was close enough to hear. "I couldn't get a pass. I had to sneak of base and come say goodbye. I had to see you again."

Brennan gave him a sad smile in reply as she came to a stop about two feet in front of him.

"Listen, Bones, you gotta be really careful in that Indonesian jungle. Ok?" he advised worriedly.

Her look was slightly incredulous. "Booth, in a week you're going to a war zone," she told him. "Please, don't be a hero. Please, just don't be you."

Booth looked at her closely, trying to inventory everything he saw, as if there was something he'd missed all of the number of times he'd ever looked at her. Without really thinking he took a step closer to her. But he quickly paused when she shrank away minutely.

"If you hold me I won't get on that plane," she told him quietly, her eyes rimmed with tears.

After a second of thought Booth wasn't so sure he'd be able to let her go. He settled for taking her smaller hand tightly into his. "One year from today," he said. "We meet at the reflecting pool on the mall. Right next to the --"

"Coffee cart," she interrupted giving his hand a gentle squeeze.. "I know. One year from today."

They stood in silence for a moment longer. "You better get going," he said. "Don't want to miss that flight."

Brennan nodded while she stared down at their joined hands. She took a deep breath and brought her eyes back up to look into his. "I love you," she reminded him.

He matched her bitter sweet smile and replied, "I love you too."

"Come home safe," she ordered, her tone holding a hint of begging as it cracked.

Booth merely nodded, not trusting his voice to stay strong if he spoke. He looked down at their hands. He seemed to have to physically pry them apart and he took a step back for safe measure, not wanting to give in to the temptation to touch her.

They held each others gaze for a moment longer before Booth fluidly turned on his heel and began to walk away.

Brennan took a second to compose herself before turning back to face the others. She knew their friends had watched the exchanged interestedly. She tightened her grip on her suitcase handle before turning away and walking back to join Daisy on the plane.

She had made it several steps before the urge to look at him one last time took over and she stopped again. When she looked around, expecting to see him walking away she found that he was looking at her.

Across the large room they looked at each other one last time before their year long separation. She bit her lip as a useless outlet for the pain coursing through her chest and readjusted her stiff fingers holding onto the plastic handle for what seemed like dear life. She noticed his fidgeting with the hat in his hands and was only fractionally comforted by the knowledge that this was so difficult for him too. Once again Booth was the first to turn away, knowing one of them had too and not willing to leave the painful decision up to her.

As he turned she knew that was the true last time she'd see his face for the next 365 days. She turned back and to the others and continued walking with what seemed to them incredible grace and composure. All the while, she felt as if her heart was screaming to get out of the grip of whatever was clenching it so tightly.

"We really should be going, Miss Wick," Brennan said professionally as she approached her grad student.

Daisy nodded dutifully and gripped her own bags excitedly. The others all watched Brennan with a slight fascination. She turned to look at them and gave them one last look. "Goodbye," she blurted a bit awkwardly, but she really wouldn't be Brennan if she was completely comfortable in the situation.

They all responded with some sort of wave, nod, or smile.

Daisy waited just a few steps away, barely containing her excitement as she wait for Brennan to begin to walk with her. When she did Daisy followed at her side just a step behind her mentor and hero.

Though, typically, Brennan didn't enjoy Daisy's excited talks and rants, she found that listening to the younger girl speak so hopefully got her mind of how much she wanted to turn around and run the other way. It seemed like in no time at all they were seated on their plane as it taxied across the airport, preparing for take off.

"I would suggest you relax, Miss Wick," Brennan told her. "It is a long flight and a significant time difference. Your sleeping patterns will be affected regardless but too much excitement now may cause you to regret it later."

Daisy listened seriously. "Of course, Dr. Brennan," she nodded and immediately took a book from her bag.

Brennan almost groaned when she noticed that it was her first novel. With a subtle glance to the younger woman's open backpack she saw that it held all of her novels along with other things to keep Daisy occupied. Brennan shifted to look out the window as DC became smaller and harder to see.

"One year," she whispered so softly that mouthing may be more or an accurate word. She withdrew the music player Booth had advised her to buy sometime ago and pressed play. Closing her eyes, she let herself get lost in the soft jazz tones of her current play list and the memories of the night before.

**One Year Later**

Upon the given order the large mass of soldiers quickly moved apart with the allowance to approach their families. Excited men searched the coming crowd looking for equally excited faces of their family members they hadn't seen in so long. Seeley Booth was not among the happily searching men, he was just anxiously waiting for their departures to be allowed.

The large room was full of happiness and Booth felt the tiniest hint of jealousy and impatience. He'd gone an entire year without any sort of contact from his partner. As difficult as communications were from where he'd been it was even worse for Brennan. She was under contract for the entire year, no leaving and absolutely no contact with anyone from the outside world. No letter, phone calls, or e-mails. Booth had spent every day of the last year hoping she was ok.

Time stretched on and a few of the men called to him happily and a couple introduced their families. He smiled politely but kept a close eye on a quick escape to the door. When time came to leave he was one of the first out the door. The building emptied out with a mass of people headed towards all of their bags and supplies.

They waited as bags were given to who they belonged to or sorted to be found easier later. Booth was tempted to leave without his bag but thought better of it. So he waited for his rucksack to come of of the pile. When it finally did he slipped it onto his shoulder with practiced ease and lifted his other bag in his arm. Finally able to leave, Booth headed off to the row of taxis that had been called for those who had no type of transportation.

"The National Mall," he told the cab driver. "The reflecting pool."

The older man looked at him quizzically in the rear view mirror. "You don't want to be headed home, son?" he asked.

Booth shook his head. "I've got a meeting to keep," he said.

The cab driver didn't question him further and pulled away from the curb, headed towards the mall.

When they finally arrived Booth reached towards his pocket but stopped. "I'm sorry," he said. "I don't have any American money on me."

The cabbie just shook his head. "We've already been paid, that's why we were waiting. Welcome home," he smiled at him.

Booth nodded his head. "Thank you. It's good to be home."

Without another word, Booth jumped from the cab and picked up his heavy bags. He bumped the door closed behind him absently as his eyes surveyed the area in front of him, looking for any sort of traces of his partner. His feet moved quickly and on autopilot towards the familiar coffee cart that they'd agreed to meet at. All the while his keen eyes searched in a nearly frantic way for her. As he got closer his breathing was becoming a little more ragged, try as he might to stay calm. He couldn't believe a year of hearing absolutely nothing had come down to this. He could be seconds away from seeing her again. From hearing her, touching her, holding her.

He seemed to come upon the coffee cart suddenly, the smell of the drinks a bit of an assault on his senses. He nearly stumbled to a stop. A woman was at the cart, her back turned to him but he knew that body. He was quite familiar with her body, despite having only had one night of real appreciation of her in the most personal situations. He'd spent countless days watching her. Whether she was carefully examine remains on the lab tables or seated across from him while they ate their lunch, he had always enjoyed watching her. Her hair appeared shorter as well as lighter, no doubt bleached from days spent in the sun. The sun had also bronzed her skin, darkening it considerably from its usual fair tone.

His slightly labored breathing nearly stopped completely as he watched the friendly old man at the cart hand her a cup which she accepted in her left hand, the same hand she also handed over the money with. He found this odd, considering she was right handed but a quick glance at her right side showed that she was holding it in front of her body, as though she was cradling a broken arm.

Worry crept into his awe struck mind as he observed her from a distance of thirty or so feet. Had she been hurt on the dig? He had dreaded to even think about what might have happened to her in the time they couldn't contact each other.

He quickly moved in her direction as she started to walk away from him and the coffee cart. When he was ten feet behind her he called out softly, not wanting to surprise her. "Bones," he practically breathed.

She stopped immediately but did not turn to look at him right away. Slowly, she turned her head around to see him standing there, loaded down with his bags. "Booth?" she asked quietly.

He stared at her openly. But noticed that her eyes were unsure and he waited with baited breath.

"You're really here this time?" she finally asked, her voice was soft and scared.

"I'm here, Bones," he nodded and set his bags down, taking a step towards her.

She didn't seem entirely convinced. "You told me that last time," she said.

"Bones, I'm right here," he told her as he neared. With her back still to him he reached out and rested a large, familiar hand on it.

Brennan instantly relaxed at his touch and he watched her eyes light up. In a split second Brennan had turned around and firmly wrapped her left arm around his neck, burying her face into the crook between his neck and shoulder and pressing her left side firmly to his.

"Booth," she sighed happily. "I missed you so much."

Booth laughed in relief and slipped his arms around her waist in their awkwardly angled embrace. "I missed you too, Bones," he said, kissing the side of her head.

After a moment Booth began to feel her withdraw from their hug. "I don't think I'm ready to let you go yet," he told her.

Brennan moved her head back and smiled at him softly, a hint of hesitance in her expression as well. "I don't want you to let go," she told him. "But someone else it feeling just a little squished."

Booth looked at her confused, not understanding what she was saying. Biting her lip in nervousness, Brennan let go of his neck and took less than half a step back, still standing in Booth's space, her body now parallel to his. The distance between them was just enough for the bundle in Brennan's arms to feel much less trapped.

Booth stared disbelieving at the little baby in her arms. It couldn't be more than a few months old. The infant was wrapped comfortably in a light purple blanket, content to be held in Brennan's arms.

"Bones?" he finally managed to ask, dumbfounded.

Without a word, Brennan set the baby into Booth's arms. Brennan smiled at how much smaller she looked while held against Booth's much larger body. Brennan ran a gentle hand over the baby's soft brown hair, smiling fondly before turning her attention to Booth's face. He was watching the baby with an awed smile on his face. He couldn't remember the last time he'd held something so tiny and perfect. His best and most likely guess was the first time Rebecca had actually let him see Parker.

He watched her little face for a moment longer before looking up to see Brennan's eyes already on him. "She's beautiful, Bones, perfect. But I'm gonna need some back story here."

"I'd like you to meet Riley Christine Booth," she said softly.

Booth looked stunned. "Booth?" he was able to stutter.

"Born February 20, 2011," she told him. "She's punctual," Brennan commented.

Booth smiled as he realized what she'd said. February 20th was nine months to the day that they had parted at the airport. Booth looked down at little Riley, his daughter, curled contentedly into his chest. "Happy three months, baby girl," he whispered.

Brennan watched with a smile as he spoke to their daughter.

Booth looked back to Brennan. "She's fine, right? Healthy? No problems? What about you? Were you alone? What happened?" he asked her concernedly. His eyes swept over her as if looking for any signs of what might have happened to her.

"She perfectly healthy," Brennan assured him. "Considering I was giving a natural birth in the medical tent on an Indonesian island without you, I was fine. Next time I would greatly appreciate a hospital, trained staff, drugs, and you holding my hand in place of Miss Wick."

Booth looked at her with a bit of a dizzy grin. "Next time?" he asked.

Brennan's eyes widened at her words. "I mean, I, uh--"

Booth leaned forward and kissed her quiet. He pulled about an inch away and whispered, "I like the sound of that."

Brennan smiled shyly at him, something so unusual for her but his intense gaze was a bit hard for her to hold. "Let's go home," she finally suggested.

Booth continued to smile at her for a moment longer before turning his attention back to Riley. He kissed her forehead and breathed in the fresh baby scent she still radiated. "I love you," he told her. He then passed her back to Brennan. With his large bag on his back and the other slung over his shoulder, Booth wrapped his free arm around Brennan's waist.

She smiled up at him after he pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Let's go home," he agreed.

**AN: So there it is. I thought about maybe having some related one shots. Yes or no? Review! Tell me what you think. **


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